Originally Posted by Ricardo
I have been sailing a Hobie 18 for about 20 years, for fun and competetitively. In an effort to be more equal with a local buddy on an Inter 17 I bought a used Nacra 5.5 UNI (1997 model in really nice shape). He an I have traveled together and raced with and against each other for almost that whole 20 year stretch.

I figured out how to put the boat together and mostly what goes where and how stuff works, resewed the tramp, replaced some lines, the boat is very light and fast, but I need some help with sailing it well or at least better than I am now.

First, where should the traveler on the main sail go? This boomless thing is very different to me. Minor changes in the position change the shape of the sail a lot, I need some advice. Rotator, on the 18 we can limit it on this I can over and under rotate it, do the lines cross under the mast or is it something I change on every tack? How critical is it?

The boat came with a roller furling Hooter from Calvert sails on a technofiber pole is great but I appear not to be able to go anywhere near deep enough to keep pace with the I 17 off the wind, he has the I 17 spinaker. How far do I travel the main out? How much do I treat it like a jib or is it a down wind or reaching sail only?

I can go to weather and tack just fine, or at least I can keep up with my buddy, the boat feels OK but not it also feels like I am leaving something on the water.

It feel like I am on the very steep part of the learning curve and could use a little help.

Last, the rudder system SUCKS, is there any kind of retro fit set up for this thing. The rope down and bungee up (some of the time) is just plain awful. Has anyone put the newer rudder system on the older boat?

Been a cat sailor magazine subscriber for a long time but this is my first post on the forum. Thanks in advance, Ricardo.


Ricardo,

I can possibly provide some insight for some of your questions. The mainsail traveler should normally be run forward almost all the way for upwind sailing. Sheet VERY HARD to get the boat to sail well to weather. The boomless rig is tricky to sail well.

You need the positive rotator on this boat because you don't have a boom. Most boats with booms have the sheet blocks at a slight reward angle so that when they sheet in, the boom pushes forward on the mast - causing it to rotate. Without the boom, you really need to positively rotate the mast to get it in proper position. The rotation isn't super critical but it is important for performance. Upwind, have the mast pointing at the middle of the daggerboard in moderate conditions. In very windy conditions, have the mast pointing at the end of the rear beam. And remember - sheet HARD.

The hooter should be for downwind and deep reaching only unless the wind is exceptionally light. If the wind is very light, you may be able to sail the hooter upwind. It's going to be a little tough to sail the Hooter as fast and deep as a soft spinnaker unless the wind is up. Make sure you have tale tales on the hooter and keep it trimmed to the apparent wind. Your mainsail should be sheeted almost in the upwind condition with the hooter - but sheeted a little more softly and with the sheet traveler moved to the middle or back 1/3rd of the traveler distance. Work the apparent wind - get the boat accelerated and then slightly bare away as the boat powers up - try to balance speed and depth with the angle you steer the boat.

"leaving something in the water"...is probably because you are not sheeted hard enough. Sheet hard (I think I mentioned this).

Rudder system. I'm rare in this opinion - but that is one of my favorite rudder systems. A couple of things - make sure the up-bunjies are tight. Use clear vinyl tubing to protect them and keep them from chaffing. For the down-lines, use the cheap polyester line you can get at Lowe's or Home depot (1/4" white with a red tracer). That cheap line is very knobby and grips very well in the v-jam cleats. If all else fails, take some electrical tape with you and tape the line, cleat, and the fiberglass clamp around the rudder arm after you put the rudders down...and be conscious about the time it will require to undo them when coming to the beach.


Jake Kohl